Calculate CBM: cubic meters for parcel, pallet and shipment
Formula, calculator, sea freight and container dimensions
Request a demoCBM stands for cubic meter. You multiply length, width and height of each piece in centimeters, multiply by the quantity and divide by one million. A pallet of 120 × 80 × 150 cm therefore has 1.44 m³.
In sea freight the cubic meter helps set the price: for groupage (LCL) you are billed for the higher of weight in tonnes and volume in cubic meters.
Calculate cubic meters
The formula
Cubic meters = length × width × height in cm × quantity ÷ 1,000,000
For several pieces you add up the volumes. Each piece counts as its enclosing box.
Cubic meters in sea freight
Groupage sea freight (LCL) customarily counts one tonne per cubic meter. You are billed for the higher of weight in tonnes and volume in cubic meters.
Worked example
4 pallets of 120 × 80 × 150 cm each come to 5.76 m³. At 1800 kg total weight, groupage sea freight bills 5.76 t.
Typical sea containers
| Container | Inside L × W × H (mm) | Door opening W × H (mm) | Capacity | Max. payload |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20' standard | 5900 × 2352 × 2395 | 2340 × 2292 | 33.2 m³ | 28130 kg |
| 40' standard | 12032 × 2352 × 2395 | 2340 × 2292 | 67.7 m³ | 28750 kg |
| 40' high cube | 12032 × 2350 × 2700 | 2340 × 2597 | 76.3 m³ | 28600 kg |
Typical values; dimensions vary slightly by manufacturer.
- How much loading space does the shipment take up in a truck? Calculate loading meters
- And the volumetric weight in air freight? Calculate volumetric weight
Cubic meters, volumetric weight and loading meters
All three describe the space a shipment needs, for different purposes. The cubic meter is the plain volume and matters above all in sea freight and container planning. Volumetric weight turns the volume into a weight via a divisor, for example in air freight and parcel shipping. Loading meters show how much loading space a shipment takes up in a truck.
What fits in a container
A 20-foot standard container typically holds 33.2 m³, a 40-foot standard container 67.7 m³ and a 40-foot high cube 76.3 m³. You rarely use all of it: pallets, cartons and stack heights do not fill the interior without gaps. The share in the calculator therefore only shows how much volume your shipment takes up by comparison.
The dimensions of your pallets are on the page Pallet dimensions.
Measure cubic meters instead of estimating
The calculator is only as accurate as the dimensions you enter. If goods overhang the pallet or cartons differ in height, an estimated volume is quickly wrong, and so is the freight bill based on it.
The L13x measures parcels, the L23x and the L33x measure loaded pallets, each in around 200 milliseconds, with a scale the weight as well. The L33x also measures pallets in black foil.
Frequently asked questions on CBM and cubic meters
What does CBM mean?
CBM is short for cubic meter. In logistics and sea freight it states the volume of a shipment.
How do you calculate CBM?
Length times width times height in centimeters, times the number of pieces, divided by one million. For several pieces you add up the volumes.
How do you convert CBM to kg?
Groupage sea freight (LCL) customarily counts one tonne per cubic meter. There, one cubic meter equals 1000 kg of chargeable weight. You are billed for the higher of actual weight and this value.
How many cubic meters fit in a 20-foot container?
A 20-foot standard container typically holds 33.2 m³. Depending on the load, you can only use part of it, because pallets and cartons do not fit without gaps.
How many cubic meters does a 40-foot container have?
A 40-foot standard container typically holds 67.7 m³, a 40-foot high cube 76.3 m³.
What is the difference between CBM and loading meters?
CBM is the volume of a shipment. Loading meters state how much loading space it takes up in a truck, regardless of its height.